Side frame



Jan. 4, 1944. R; B. COTTRELL SIDE FRAME 4 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1938 INVENTOR. 2500672 If ("o/[7611, BY Q S (2 ATTORNEY.

Jan. 4, 1944. R. B. COTTRELL SIDE FRAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1938 J6 Hf f6 [0 16 z X 4 14 66 g J0 60 g p- IN VENTOR. EObC/Zfi COZZreZZ, BY

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4 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY.

Jan. 4, 1944. R. a. COTTRELL SIDE FRAME Original Filed Dec. 24, 1938 Patented Jan. 4-, 1944 UNITED STATES TENT QFFICE SIDE FRAME Robert B. Cottrell, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey 23 Claims.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 247,616, Side frame, filed in the United States Patent Office December 24, 1938, now issued as United States Patent No. 2,295,936, September 15, 1942.

My invention relates to a side frame for a railway car truck and more particularly to a well known type of such structure generally desig nated a truss side frame. Such a frame is commonly formed with a tension member, a compression member, and spaced columns joining said members at intermediate points to form therebetween an opening for connection to the load carrying member. Such frames may or may not have the journal boxes integrally formed therewith.

For many years such frames have been produced by a process of casting because the complexity of the design made it extremely difiicult to fabricate such a structure capable of passing the rigid test requirements to which they are commonly subjected. With the advent of welding various abortive efforts have been made to design a truss type side frame fabricated from standard rolled sections welded together. None of the proposed designs, however, have been successful from a practical commercial standpoint.

An object of my invention is to devise a form of truss side frai .e built up from standard rolled sections welded together in such a manner as to form a compact structure capable of meeting the present rigid test requirements While at the same time comprising a relatively light weight structure.

A more specific object of my invention is to devise a truss type side frame comprising a tension member and a compression member formed from a single piece of seamless steel tubing. In the above referred to parent case I have disclosed a similar structure wherein the tension member and compression member are each formed of a single piece of seamless steel tubing.

Another object of my invention is to devise a welded type of side frame built up of standard rolled sections which is suitable for use with an integrally welded journal box or for side frames of the types generally designated Vulcan and Andrews which are suitable for connection to separate journal boxes.

My invention further comprehends various novel detail of construction and assembly, the features of which will be more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and the descriptive material forming a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention, only one end of the frame being shown inasmuch as the opposite ends are the same;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a bottom plan View thereof;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, the section being taken substantially in the vertical plane bisecting the frame transversely and substantially as indicated by the line il of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the form of my one piece tension and compression member after forging and before the welding operation;

Figure 6 is a plan View of the structure shown in Figure 5, and Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views therethrough, the sections being taken substantially in the planes as indicated by the lines 'l-'l and 8-8 respectively of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a top plan View of the spring seat member, Figure 10 being a side elevation thereof;

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the column, Figure 12 being a side elevation thereof, and Figure 13 a top plan;

Figure 14 is a View in elevation of the guide member associated with the column, and Figure 15 is a top plan thereof;

Figure 16 is a side elevation of a gusset member, and Figure 17 is an end view thereof;

Figures 18 and 19 show corresponding views of another gusset member;

Figure 20 is a side elevation of a modified form of my novel side frame structure, only one end being shown;

Figure 21 is a top plan View of the structure shown in Figure 20, and Figure 22 is a bottom plan thereof;

Figure 23 is a sectional view through the structures shown in Figures 20 to 22, the section being taken substantially in the vertical plane bisecting the structure as indicated by the line 2323 of Figure 20;

Figures 24 and 25 show further modifications of my novel side frame arrangement.

Describing the structure in greater detail and referring first to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, it may be noted that the main portion of the side frame comprises a single member generally designated 2 and shown a a unit in Figures 5 and 6. The member 2 is formed from seamless steel tubing cut to the proper length and formed by the necessary forging operations into the shape shown in Figures 5 and 6, the two open ends being brought together to abut each other for Welding at the middl of the top chord thereof as finally formed and as indicated at 4 in Figures 1, 5 and 6. The said member 2, a finally formed, thus comprises a tubular top chord forming the compression member 3 and a tubular bottom chord forming the tension member 8, said tension member having a substantially horizontal portion indicated at it! upon which may be superposed the spring seat member I2, said member having the form shown in detail in Figures 9 and 10. The said spring seat member comprises the central horizontal portion indicated at I4 and the diagonal end portions indicated at I6, I6, said end portions being superposed on the diagonal end portions of the tension member as indicated at I8 (Figure 1). The spring seat portion of the frame is further reinforced by upright longitudinal flanges 20, 2B welded along the outer edges of the spring seat member I2, said flanges tapering toward their ends as indicated at 22 and having welded on their top outer edges the beads 24, 24, said beads and flanges being coterminous and merging with said spring seat member I2 in the weld indicated at 26. The spring seat member I2 has a continuous weld with the tension member 8 along the top edges of said tension member, said welds being indicated at 28, 28 (Figure 4) and reinforcing ribs for these two members may be Welded as indicated at 38, 36. Similarly, the ribs 32, 32 may reinforce the junctures of the spring seat member I2 and the flanges 20, 20 at opposite sides thereof. Th column 34 is cut to proper length from a rolled section of a form best seen from a consideration of Figures 11, 12 and 13 and has the central plate 36 with flanges 38, 38 along its opposite edges, said column being slotted at its lower end as indicated at 4! and spread into the bifurcated form indicated at 42 with the flanges 38 cut away for more convenient welding to the spring seat member I2 and the flanges 20, 20, said welding being indicated at 44, 44 (Figure l). Welded to the column 34 centrall thereof is the bolster guide member 46, said member having the shape shown in the detailed views of Figures 14 and 15 with the arcuate central web 48 and the lateral flanges 5B, 5!], said flanges as applied overlapping the edges of the flanges 38, 38 of the column 34 and being welded thereto as best seen at 52, 52 in the top plan view of Figure 2. On the inner face of the guide member 46 and centrally thereof is welded the Vertical guide rib 54, said guide rib having the form best understood from a consideration of the views shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. On the inner face of the side frame structure at the juncture of the compression member 6 with the column 34 may be welded the brake hanger bracket 56, said bracket being cast or otherwise made in a form convenient for welding to said compression member and column as indicated at 58, 58. Th column itself is welded to the compression member 5 along its entire top edge as indicated at B9, til.

At the opposite ends of the frame the seamless tube is forged into the flattened form indicated at 62 and interposed between the top and bottom chords thereof and Welded thereto is the fiat reinforcing wedge 64. The juncture of the tension member 8 with the compression member 5 is further reinforced by th gusset 68, said gusset being forced from a flat shape into the U-shaped structure shown in detail in Figures 16 and 17 and welded as at 61, 61 along its edges to said members respectively. The smaller gusset 68, similarly formed and having the shape shown in detail in Figures 18 and 19, serves as a a reinforcement for the tension member 8 at its juncture with the journal box Ill, said gusset being welded along it respective edges to the tension member and the journal box as indicated at I2, 12.

The modification shown in Figures 20 to 23, inclusive, is formed in a manner generally similar to that of the modification previously described, the principal difference lying in the arrangement of the spring seat portion of the frame and the column guide structure which is of a generally conventional type without the trough-lik structure of the spring seat shown in the previous modification.

In the modification now under consideration the compression member 74 and the tension member H5 are formed of a single piece of seamless steel tubing cut to the required length and forged to the form shown, the ends being brought together atthe middle of the compression member I4 and welded together as indicated at 18. At

the end of the frame the compression member I4 and the tension member I6 are of a flattened form and the wedge BI] is interposed and welded therebetween in the manner previously described. The juncture of the compression member and tension member has the reinforcing welded gusset 82 similar to that of the previous modification and likewise the welded gusset B4 reinforcing the juncture of the tension member 16 with the journal box 8%, said journal box being welded along its edges also to said tension member as indicated at 81, 81.

The spring seat member 88 is similar to the spring seat member previously described and is superposed upon the horizontal portion of the tension member I6 and extends upwardly along the diagonal portion thereof as indicated at 90, said spring seat member being Welded to the tension member along its length as indicated at 92, 92. Reinforcing ribs 94, 94 are welded to the bottom of said spring seat member 88 and to the side walls of the tension member 16.

The column 96 is cut from a rolled member having a section best shown in the bottom view of Figure 22 and is welded about its upper end to the lower web of the compression member 14 and at its lower end to the spring seat member 88, said ends being cut to a configuration suitable for the junctures with said members. Welded ribs 98, 98 reinforce the juncture of the lower end of the column with the spring seat member 88 and further reinforcement in that area is provided by the gusset I00 which is welded between said column 96 and said spring seat member 88. To the upper portion of the column and on the inner face thereof is welded the bolster guide member I02, said member likewise being cut from a standard rolled form.

At the juncture of the column 96 with the compression member I4 may be welded the brake hanger bracket I04, said bracket being cast or otherwise shaped with edges suitable for abutment with and welding to the compression member 14 and the column 96.

As may readily be understood by those acquainted with the art, my novel side frame structure may be arranged for connection to separable journal boxes and in Figures 24 and 25 I have shown arrangements for connections to such types. Figure 24 shows a modification generally designated the Andrews type and in this form the seamless tubing is shaped to form the compression member I38 and the tension member I49 reinforced at their juncture with the U-shaped gusset I42 and flattened at their ends as indicated at M4 compressing therebetween the reinforcing welded wedge MB. The compression member I38 has on its top chord over the journal box the seats MB, I48 arranged for cooperation with securing means for the journal box (not shown), the bottom of said journal box likewise being connected by the straps I50, or other suitable means, to the welded bracket I52 secured to the bottom chord of the tension member.

In Figure 25 I have shown a suitable modification similar to what is generally known as a Vulcan type with the seamless tubing shaped to form the compression member I54 and the tension member I56 having therebetween the welded U-shaped reinforcing gusset I53 and being fiattened at their ends as at ISO to compress therebetween the welded blocks I62. Below the end portion of the frame as thus formed and on the bottom chord of the tension member l56 may be welded the brackets Hi4 and IE6 forming suitable column guides for connection to a journal box (not shown).

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A truss side frame comprising a tension member and a compression member formed of a ingle piece of tubing having its abutting ends welded adjacent the middle of one of said members, the portions of said tubing forming said compression member being forged to form flat top and bottom chords and arcuate sides of said compression member and the portion of said tubing forming said tension member being forged to form a substantially rectangular box section at the central portion of said tension member, a spring seat welded on said central portion, spaced columns welded between said spring seat and compression member to form guide means for an associated bolster, and wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame.

2. In combination a truss side frame comprising a tension member and a compression member formed of a single piece of tubing having its abutting ends welded adjacent the middle of one of said members, the portion of said tubing forming said compression member being forged to form flat top and bottom chords and arcuate sides of said member and the portion of said tubing forming said tension member being forged to form a substantially rectangular box section at the central portion of said tension member, a spring seat welded on said central portion, and spaced columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member to form guide means for an associated bolster.

3. In a fabricated truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded in the middle of one of said members, a spring seat welded on one of said members along the middle portion. rolled columns welded between said seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame, gussets welded between. said wheel connecting means and portions of the adjacent member, and gussets welded between said members adjacent the ends of said frame, each of said gussets comprising a plurality of webs par allel to the plane of said frame and at least one web transverse thereto.

4. In a fabricated truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded in the middle of one of said members, a spring seat welded on one of said members along the horizontal middle portion and diagonal end portions thereof, columns secured between said seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame, gussets welded between said wheel connecting means and portions of the adjacent member, and gussets welded between said members adjacent the ends of said frame, each of said gussets comprising a web parallel to the plane of said frame and a web transverse thereto.

5. In a fabricated side frame, a tubular element formed to define tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of said members, a spring seat having a transverse web and upstanding flanges welded on said tension member, spaced columns welded between said seat and said compression member, bolster guide means on said columns at intermediate portions thereof, wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame, and a plurality of gussets welded at each end of said frame respectively between said members and between said wheel connecting means and one of said members, each of said gussets comprising a web in a plane parallel to the plane defined by said frame and a web transverse thereto.

6. In a fabricated side frame, a tubular element formed to define tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of members, said tension member having a horizontal midportion and diagonial ends, a spring seat welded on said tension member continuously along midportion and substantial portions of said diagonal ends, spaced columns welded between said seat and said compression member, bolster guide means on said columns, wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame, and a plurality of gussets welded at each end of said frame respectively be ween said members and between said wheel connecting means and one of said members, at least one of said gussets comprising a plurality of webs parallel to the plane defined by said frame and a web transverse thereto.

'7. In a fabricated truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous rolled element welded at its abutting ends transversely of one of said members, said tension member having a. horizontal midportion and diagonal ends, a spring seat welded along said tension member continuously from an intermediate point of one end along said midportion to an intermediate point of the opposite end, guide columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member with bolster guide means along intermediate portions thereof, said spring seat having a width substantially greater than said tension member along the midportion thereof and comprising a channel section between said columns, and wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame.

'8. In a fabricated side frame, a continuous tubular element formed to d .ine tension and compression members, said members having horizontal midportions and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded on said tension member along the intermediate portion thereof and con:-

tinuing into said end portions, said spring seat having a transverse web with upstanding inboard and outboard flanges, journal boxes welded on the ends of said frame, and wedge means welded between said members over said journal boxes.

9. A truss side frame built up of rolled steel forms and comprising an element formed to define in part tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of said members, said tension member comprising welded means along the central portion thereof defining a spring seat with upstanding inboard and outboard flanges, U-section columns welded between said members with lower ends merging with said flanges, and wheel connecting means secured to the ends of said frame.

10. In combination, a truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said tubing being flattened to increase the width thereof as compared with the depth thereof for maximum transverse strength, said tension member having a horizontal intermediate portion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat continuously Welded along all of said portions, spaced U- section columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, and wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame.

11. A truss side frame comprising tension and compression members formed of a continuous tube with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said tube being flattened throughout its length to afford greater width than depth thereof, said tension member having a horizontal midportion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded continuously along said tension member from an intermediate point of one end portion to an intermediate point of the other end portion, and spaced columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member with bolster guide means along intermediate areas on said columns.

12. A truss side frame formed of rolled members and comprising a continuous tube forged to define tension and compression members thereof with abutting ends of said tube welded transversely of one of said members, said tube being flattened throughout its length to afford relatively great width as compared with the depth thereof, said tension member comprising a horizontal midportion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded along said tension member continuously between intermediate points of said end portions, spaced columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame, and a plurality of adjacent gusset means at each end of said frame welded respec tively between said tension member and said compression member and between said tension member and said wheel connecting means.

13. In a fabricated side frame, a continuous tubular element formed to define tension and compression members, said members having horizontal midportions and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded on said tension member along the intermediate portion thereof and continuing into said end portions thereof, said spring seat having a transverse web with upstanding inboard and outboard flanges, journal boxes welded on the ends of said frame, wedge means welded between said members over said journal boxes, and adjacent gusset means welded between each box and said tension member and between said tension member and said compression member at each end of said frame.

14. In a fabricated side frame, a continuous tubular element formed to define tension and compression members, said members having horizontal midportions and diagonal end portions, 9. spring seat welded on said tension member along the intermediate portion thereof and continuing into said end portions thereof, said spring seat having a transverse web with upstanding inboard and outboard flanges, journal boxes welded on the ends of said frame, wedge means welded between said members over said journal boxes, and adjacent gusset means welded between each box and said tension member and between said tension member and said compression member at each end of said frame, at least one of said gusset means comprising a web parallel with the plane of said frame and a web transverse thereto.

15. In a fabricated side frame, a continuous tubular element formed to define tension and compression members, said members having horizontal midportions and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded on said tension member along the intermediate portion thereof and continuing into said end portions thereof, said spring seat having a transverse web with upstanding in board and outboard flanges, journal boxes welded on the ends of said frame, wedge means welded between said members over said journal boxes, and adjacent gusset means welded between each box and said tension member and between said tension member and said compression member at each end of said frame, each of said gussets comprising a plurality of webs parallel with the plane of said frame and a web transverse thereto.

16. A truss side frame built up of rolled steel and comprising an element formed to define portions of tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of said members, said tension member having welded parts defining an intermediate spring seat portion with upstanding inboard and outboard flanges, U-section columns welded intermediate said members and having lower ends merging with said inboard and outboard flanges of said tension member, and wheel connecting means secured to the ends of said frame.

17. A truss side frame built up of rolled steel and comprising an element formed to define in part tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of said members, said tension member comprising a horizontal intermediate portion, diagonal ends, and welded parts defining a spring seat extending along said intermediate portion and into said ends, said spring seat comprising upstanding flanges, and U-section columns welded intermediate said members and secured to said upstanding flanges.

13. In combination, a truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said tubing being flattened to increase the width thereof as compared with the depth thereof for maximum transverse strength, said tension member having a horizontal intermediate portion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat continuously welded along all of said portions, spaced U-section columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame, and support means welded between said tension and compression members adjacent each wheel connecting means.

19. In combination, a truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said tubing being flattened to increase the width thereof as compared with the depth thereof for maximum transverse strength, said tension member having a horizontal intermediate portion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat continuously welded along all of said portions, spaced U-section columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame, and support means welded between said tension and compression members adjacent each Wheel connecting means, certain of said support means comprising a transverse web and a longitudinal Web.

20. In combination, a truss side frame having tension and compression members formed of a continuous piece of tubing with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said tubing being flattened to increase the width thereof as compared with the depth thereof for maximum transverse strength, said tension member having a horizontal intermediate portion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat continuously welded along all of said portions, spaced U-section columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded on the ends of said frame, and support means welded between said tension and compression members adjacent each wheel connecting means, certain of said support means comprising a plurality of longitudinal Webs and a transverse web.

21. A truss side frame comprising tension and compression members formed in part of a continuous element with abutting ends welded transversely of one of said members, said element being flattened throughout its length to afford greater width than depth thereof, said tension member having a horizontal midportion and diagonal end portions, said midportion comprising welded parts defining a spring seat with upstanding flanges, and spaced columns welded intermediate said members and to said upstanding flanges, said columns having bolster guide means along intermediate areas thereof.

22. A-truss side frame formed of rolled members and comprising a continuous tube forged to define tension and compression members thereof with abutting ends of said tube welded transversely of one of said members, said tube being flattened throughout its length to afford relatively great width as compared with the depth thereof, said tension member comprising a horizontal mid-portion and diagonal end portions, a spring seat welded along said tension member continuously between intermediate points of said end portions, spaced columns welded between said spring seat and said compression member, wheel connecting means welded at the ends of said frame, a plurality of adjacent gusset means at each end of said frame welded respectively between said tension member and said compression member and between said tension member and said wheel connecting means, and wedge means welded between said members at the junctures thereof over said wheel connecting means.

23. A truss side frame built up of rolled steel forms and comprising an element formed to define in part tension and compression members with abutting ends of said element welded transversely of one of said members, said tension member comprising welded means along the central portion thereof defining a spring seat, U-section columns welded between said members with lower ends merging with inboard and outboard portions of said tension member, wheel connecting means secured to the ends of said frame, and wedge means welded between said tension and compression members over each of said wheel connecting means.

ROBERT B. COTTRELL. 

